Rachel Black is a graduate assistant in the Iowa Women’s Archives. As part of her graduate work in the School of Library and Information Science she has been working on a project called “@ Your Local Library.”

“@ Your Local Library” is a series of photo essays bringing to life stories of the important work going on behind the scenes in libraries around the area, and posting about them on a WordPress site as well as Tumblr and Facebook.

On the “About” page for her website, Black describes her goals:

“Unfortunately, a lot of people aren’t aware of everything their local library has to offer. They see the books and the computers, but not the new programs or initiatives librarians are working to provide in order to create a happy and healthy community. I started this website in order to share with everyone the different ways librarians are working to benefit their communities.”

As part of the project, Black posted a six part series featuring librarians and staff from the Iowa Women’s Archives. The posts are embedded as a series below. Be sure to check out her pages to read all of the compelling stories of work going on in libraries around The Corridor.

What is a LEED building and how is the UI doing towards the goal of sustainability?

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a program which recognizes 5 key areas of environmental – and human – health. Looking at sustainable building site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability.

Creating sustainable environments is a very complex task – beginning with key infrastructure elements. According to Woodrow W. Clark II and Grant Cooke, authors of The Green Industrial Revolution, besides those key elements listed above, it also includes transportation, telecommunications and the belief systems, behavior and values of the residents.

A rendering of the College of Engineering Seamans Center Annex.

The University of Iowa has set a minimum standard of Silver certification for all new buildings and renovation projects. Currently there are 12 LEED certified buildings on campus and 5 that are pending certification. Of the 12 certified buildings, 9 are certified Gold, and 2 are certified Platinum. Of the 5 that are pending certification, 2 are pending Gold, 1 is targeting Silver certification, 1 is pending, and the College of Engineering Seamans Center Annex is targeting Gold/Platinum. The UI Health Care Facilities has 1 facility certified Silver and 2 more pending Silver. The UI Facilities Management has over 20 LEED professionals on staff!

The College of Engineering is aiming for Platinum certification for the Seamans Center annex. The annex will incorporate “lots of green space, with active water filtration ponds and re-use of gray water, and we’re looking at photovoltaics as well,” said College of Engineering Dean Alec Scranton in the College of Engineering article, “And Something More.”

The Information Technology Facility was completed in 2011 and was the first building on campus to earn the LEED Platinum certification. The annual energy savings are estimated to be 71%; 55% of the wood-based construction materials were Forest Stewardship Council certified. It also has carpool parking and encourages biking to work by providing bicycle storage and shower facilities.

The University of Iowa has been installing green roofs on the new and remodeled buildings. The first-ever green roof was installed on the Pappajohn Biodmedical Discovery Building (PBDB). A green roof absorbs and stores rainwater and hot rooftop surfaces transfer their heat to storm water. A green roof reduces runoff from the building, too. The College of Engineering, Seamans Center, also has a small 600 square foot green roof.

Come and see the model of a green roof in our Green Engineering Exhibit!!

Building an Emerald City : A Guide to Creating Green Building Policies and Programs is the story of Seattle, Washington, and how it became the first city in the United States to officially adopt the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standards for it major construction projects. Besides sharing personal accounts and experiences, it also serves as a guidebook – explaining the process from the ground up (so to speak…). It includes information about the differing requirements for LEED certification depending on geographic areas.

An added benefit of creating green roofs can be the preservation of endangered flora. According to Green Roof Retrofit : Building Urban Resilienceedited by Sara Wilkinson and Tim Dixon, biodiversity conservation, along with climate change, is one of the over-arching environmental concerns. Encouraging green roofs in urban areas, where there are few areas available for green space, can help bridge the gap between ecology and commerce, and give urban-dwellers the chance to connect with nature.

Another option for an ecological roof is a “cool roof.” A cool roof has a huge impact on climate change and helps reduce carbon emissions. Basically, a cool roof has a roof coating, or outside layer, that is white or light in color. The light roof reflects the sun’s rays rather than absorbing them like a traditional roof does. The heat that is absorbed by a darker colored roof contributes to an increase in the use of air conditioning. A cool roof also can effect the buildings around it – the cooler the roof, the less hot air is carried in the wind.

University of Iowa Voxman Music Building, pending LEED Gold certification. Photo from website

Statements from the American Library Association and the Society of American Archivists confirming a commitment to diversity and inclusion: American Library Association: “As an association representing these libraries, librarians […]

The Engineering Library is looking for engineering undergraduate students with little or no prior experience doing article searching using the Compendex database!

You will help us learn more about preferences for video tutorials versus Guide-on-the-Side tutorials! It only requires one 30-minute visit during which time you’ll complete 3 tasks using different tutorials and then complete a short, 10-question survey.

The study will take place in Seamans Center Room 2228, and for participating you will receive up to $5 in Hawkeye Dollars which can be used at most campus food service locations!

Trial access has been arranged to Bureau van Dijk’s Orbis and Zephyr databases. The trials end November 28th. The Database trials are available on or off campus through IP range and UI Libraries proxy service.

Orbisis a global dataset for public and private company information. It allows researchers to access financials, ownership structures, patents, board members, and more in one standardized resource.

Zephyr is the most comprehensive database of M&A, IPO, private equity, and venture capital deals. Not only are researchers able to track large public deals they are able to track private to private and cross border deals as well.